


The Night Before Christmas

by INFJgamer



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:19:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/INFJgamer/pseuds/INFJgamer
Summary: Two hundred years ago a mercenary read a story to a medic.  It’s Christmas Eve in the T’Perro household and the more things change, the more some things stay the same.





	The Night Before Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> It helps if you’ve read chapter 24 of Project Puck. If you’re a fan of Lexi and Ellis, this is for you. Special thanks goes to Roann, TechnoDragon & LtLime23 for their continued support of Ellis.

It had been over two hundred years since Ellis had first read aloud to Lexi. They’d sat nervously on her bed, opened the old book and began “T’was the night before Christmas.”

Lexi had made them promise to read it to her every Christmas, it had become a family tradition. As time passed it had been read to their unborn daughter and to the rest of their children as the T’Perro family expanded. Even when they’d all grown up, Ellis still read it to Lexi without fail.

It was Christmas Eve and Professor Lexi T’Perro awaited the arrival of her children. She had three in total, one Asari child as well as a human son and daughter. The two humans had been engineered in a bid to restart the ultrabiotic program some twenty odd years ago. Ellis, Peebee and Ash had put an end to the twisted project and the tiny humans, both biological descendants of Ellis had come to live in the T’Perro house.

Kara was the eldest at just over a hundred. The young maiden still had absolutely no idea what she wanted to do in life. Medicine had been ruled out on the grounds that she fainted at the sight of blood. Andrea or Andy as she preferred to be called and Fraser were both twenty two. Andy was in law enforcement attached to a rapid response unit, like Ellis, she was a dab hand with biotics and bullets. Of all of Lexi’s children Fraser was the most like her. He was at med school studying cybernetic prosthetics.

The trio barged in like a small hurricane of hugs and kisses before taking up occupancy in the kitchen. Andy made a beeline for the fridge gazing lovingly at the Brie and Stilton. “Andrea Pelessaria T’Perro don’t you dare touch that cheese!” Lexi playfully scolded.

A tiny blue glow surrounded the Brie “That includes using your biotics!” Added the matron.

Andy pouted “But Mum.”

“But nothing.” chuckled Lexi leading Andy away from the fridge “You can fight your godfather for it tomorrow like the rest of us.”

“And loose.” sulked Andy.

“Speaking of” continued Lexi “Kara, the rum is out of bounds until then too.”

“Okay fine,” huffed Kara “Guys shall we go to the pub once we’re unpacked?”

“I’m game.” said Fraser who was depositing a few gifts under the tree “they’ve still got Brodie’s ruby ale on tap right?”

“Last time I checked” Kara answered as she flicked on the kettle “Who wants a brew?”

“Me!” Chorused the T’Perro clan.

Once bags had been unpacked and mugs of tea finished of the T’Perro kids got ready to hit the pub. Fraser stopped a moment “Will you be okay on your own Mum?”

“I’ll be fine. A little quiet before tomorrow’s chaos mightn’t be a bad thing. Go, have fun.” she hugged her son and sent him on his way.

A quiet calm befell the house. Lexi decided she’d have a soak in the bath before her rowdy brood returned home, inevitably wanting recovery shots from their Mum. As she sunk into the hot bubbly water she felt a pang of sadness. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without Ellis.

The T’Perro kids rounded the corner of their street and headed into their local pub Osgood’s Bolthole. Fraser ordered a ruby ale, Kara went for festive spiced rum on the rocks with Andy who was teetotal opted for hot apple and cinnamon. A voice from behind them called out “Put it on my tab please Merrick.”

The trio turned to come face to face with an Andromeda Alliance Commander clad in dress whites with a holdall full of presents slung over their shoulder, Commander Ellis T’Perro to be exact. “Hey kids!”

Kara was the first to hug her father, closely followed by Andy and Fraser. “I’ve missed you guys.”

Ellis ushered their children over to a booth that they’d reserved “So how’s operation Surprise your mother going?”

Kara grinned “Mums at home, she doesn’t have a clue that you’ve got shore leave.”

The commander smiled “Good job guys. I’d like to think that after nearly 200 years of marriage I can still surprise her. I need you three to do me one more favour. Stay here for a couple of hours. I’ve ordered you some food including a cheese platter.”

Ellis turned to Andy “I asked for extra Brie because I know you won’t get a look in tomorrow once Uncle Ash gets here.”

Ellis hugged each of their children again “Stick everything on my tab. I’ll see you all later.”

The commander stepped out of the pub into the mild Elaaden evening and headed home to their wife. Ellis quietly deposited their bag in the living room and picked up a battered book. It was one of the first Christmas presents they'd ever received, a copy of The Night before Christmas. It had once belonged to Suvi Anwar, but she had gifted it to Ellis after they'd first read it aloud to Lexi. It was one of their most treasured possessions. They limped up the stairs to find Lexi. While they looked fifty something, Ellis was 235 and a life well lived was starting to catch up with them, chiefly their leg.

As they reached the top of the stairs Lexi came out of the bathroom. She raced towards them, grabbing them by the lapels of their dress whites and pulled them in for a kiss. It had been almost four months since she’d seen her bondmate, they weren’t due home until early January. “Ellis! What are you doing here?”

“It’s Christmas Eve Lex, where else would I be. I promised didn’t I?” Said Ellis leading her to their room.

Lexi sat on the bed and listened as Ellis opened the old book and began “T’was the night before Christmas.”

Unlike the first time, Ellis could now read perfectly well. They not longer tripped over words, truth be told, after 200 years they knew the tale by heart. It still meant the world to Lexi though, especially as she thought they’d be apart this year.

“And to all a good night.” Ellis concluded closing the book and placed it on the bedside table.

Lexi smiled “I think it’s the first time you’ve read that to me that in dress whites. Much as they suit you, I’m going to need you to take them off. How long have we got?”

Ellis pulled off their jacket grinning “A couple of hours.”

A loud thud came from downstairs and the front door swung open and a slightly drunk Peebee fell through it with a very loud “Shit!”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” Growled Ellis “Over two hundred years she’s know us and her sense of timing is as shit as it ever was!”

Lexi sighed “You put the kettle on, I’ll get the recovery shot.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
